Wire draping device for fourdrinier machines



Sept. 8, 1959 A. E. STEWART WIRE DRAPING DEVICE FOR FOURDRINIER MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1957 A 0 0 n 0 I o o 4 Sheets-Sheet, 1

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Sept. 8, 1959 A. E. STEWART 2,

' WIRE DRAPING DEVICEFOR FOURDRINIER MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1957 4'SheetsSheet 2 A. E. STEWART WIRE DRAPING DEVICE FOR FOURDRINIER MACHINES Sgpt. 8, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 11. 1957 Sept. 8, 1959 A. E. STEWART WIRE DRAPING DEVICE FOR FOURDRINIER MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1957 v .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 D6 611 5/ H. 6. 675mm?" United States Patent M WIRE DRAPING DEVICE FOR FOURDRINIER MACHINES Alexander Eric Stewart, Laehine, Quebec, Canada, assignor rto Dominion Engineering Works Limited, Moutreal, Quebec, Canada Application January 11, 1957, Serial No. 633,617

9 Claims. (Cl. 162-273) This invention relates to a device for draping the wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine and relates particularly to means whereby the wire can 'be draped in a closed loop alongside the Fourdrinier section of the machine while the machine is still running and 'can be moved into the line of travel of the machine and be draped on the Fourdrinier section with a minimum of :shutdown time.

'T he wire draping device consists essentially in the provision of suitable trucks'which are constrained to travel .in a path traversing the tending aisle and the Four- .driniersection of the machine, the trucks being provided with suitable wire carrying poles which will hold the wire in a closed loop in the tending aisle alongside the Fourdrinier section, the closed loop of the Wire being held to .an outline shape which will allow the wire, when the device is moved into the line of travel of the paper marchine, to envelope the Fourdrinier section without touch- Ting any obstruction, and which will be draped thereon with ease and without damage when the wire supporting poles are withdrawn from the wire draping device. The wire draping device is in part a permanent structure set under the floor level with'suitable covering plates when the device is not in use, and in part removable so that the tending aisle along side the paper machine, is kept free of obstructions except during that period when a new wire is being draped in the aisle while the machine is still running.

In the past many attempts have been made to reduce the time consumed in replacing the wire in a Fourdrinier machine and eliminiating the cause of damage both in the wire and to the delicately balanced table rolls during the wire changing period. One method of trying to reduce shut-down time was to have a removable table roll section. This involved the installation of heavy transfer rail equipment of a permanent character which took up considerable floor space whether in use or not. In the case of certain new machines the whole Fourdrinier section has been made in the form of a cantilever, with the side of the section adjacent the tending aisle being free of supporting structures. This form of machine required a very heavy and expensive supporting structure which can only be justified in certain limited applications. In both these applications, with a removable table roll section or in the case where full cantilever construction is used, it is always necessary to stop the running of the machine, cut the paper and remove the old wire before starting the operation of draping a new wire. Whereas, with the present invention, the new wire can be draped in the tending aisle while the machine is still running, thus saving a considerable amount of time in the running of the machine.

The object of the invention is to provide a wire draping device for Fourdrinier machines whereby the wire can be drapedin theproper looped form alongside the machine while the machine is still running.

' 'A further object of the invention is to provide a wire draping device comprising various wire supporting units which can be aligned and synchronously driven to ensure smooth and even transfer of the wire over and about the Fourdrinier section of the paper machines.

A further objects of the invention is to provide a wire draping device which can be readily and economically applied to both old and new Fourdrinier machines.

A further object of the invention is to make the Fourdrinier section of a paper machine of semi-cantilever construction without the in-built strength necessary for full cantilever constructure and having extensible alternative supports for use when the machine is running and when the wire is being draped on the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire draping device readily assembled in troughs in the tending aisle of the paper machine and which is demountable and covered over leaving the aisle clear for normal operations when the machine is running.

In the drawings which illustrates embodiments of the invention:

Fig. l is an outline side elevation in two sections of the Fourdrinier section of a paper machine showing various parts of the Fourdrinier section retracted and the wire draping device holding the wire in place about the section.

Fig. 2 is an outline transverse section with the elements of the Fourdrinier section not shown and showing in full lines one of the end traversing trucks in the machine aisle and in dotted lines the position of the traversing truck when brought into line with the Fourdrinier section of the paper machine.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing an intermediate wire supporting pole truck in the aisle position adjacent the Fourdrinier section of the paper machine and showing a method of supporting the top wire supporting pole on one of the table rolls during the traversing operation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical detail end view of the end traversing trucks and showing the demountable wire pole supporting column fitted on top of the truck and also showing one method of engaging the truck with the truck drive.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the demountable column removed and the truck covered over by a removable floor plate and also showing the truck disengaged from its drive.

Fig. 6 is a detailed side view of a wire polemounting on the demountable column.

Fig. 7 is an outline transverse section of the Fourdrinier section of the paper machine and showing the extended telescopic beam supporting the Fourdrinier section when the aisle side supporting packs have been retracted.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the extended telescopic beam partly in section to show the method of extending and retracting the beam by hydraulic means.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail of the telescopic beam showing the piston and the hydraulic connections to either side of the piston.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the pipe connections from the control valve to the interior pipes of the telescopic beam.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view of the line 11'-11 of Fig. 9 showing the internal roller assembly.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail of the removable extension guide rod for the top intermediate wire poles and showing it in running engagement with one of the table rolls.

Fig. 13 is an end view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings, the Fourdrinier section of the paper machine comprises the main structure side members 1, the table rolls 2, the suction boxes 3, the forward breast roll 4, forming board 5 and the suction couch rolls 6.

In order to accommodate the wire draping device of the present invention, the Fourdrinier section can, in new machines, be of full cantilever design with the complete structure 1 being supported on the rear frame supports 7, leaving the front end of the machine open as shown in Fig. 7. However, instead of making the machine fully cantilever in design it may be more economical to provide front supports such as retractable jacks 8 whose post 9 fit into sockets 10 on the under side of the main structure. This modification is very suitable when converting old machines to take the wire draping device. Other modifications required would be to have the breast roll 4 and forming board 5 retractable as shown in Fig. 1. This is accomplished by having the roll supporting bracket 11 pivoted to the frame 1 at 12, the bracket 11 being movable from one position to the other by means of the hydraulic jack 13. The wire rolls 14 are also retracted, by means not shown to bring them clear of the normal run of the wire under the section.

With the Fourdrinier section modified and the various parts retracted as above described, the wire 15 can be moved from the aisle over and about the section without meeting any obstruction.

The wire draping device consists essentially of two end traversing trucks and any number of intermediate traversing trucks as will be required to support the draped wire. The end traversing trucks are substantially the same length as the width of the Fourdrinier section and are provided with a pair of axles 21 on which are mounted the wheels 22.

The traversing trucks 20 run on rails 23 set on the girders 24 which in turn define the lower end of the slots or troughs 25 in the floor 26 and traverse the tending aisle and machine base. The girders 27 define the top end of the runways or troughs 25 and form a confining rail against which the wheels 22 on one side of the truck 20 bear against when the truck is pulled sideways by the pull of the wire 15. Little or no clearance is allowed between the wheels 22 and the girders 27 in order to reduce the movement caused by the pull of the wire to a minimum.

The runways or troughs 25 in the floor 26 are covered by the removable floor plates 74 so that the permanently installed traversing trucks 20 are completely protected when not in use.

The truck 20 adjacent the breast roll 4 and forming board '5 is provided with a demountable column 28 at each end, the columns having a foot 29 adapted to rest on the flange 30 of the truck and is also provided with a hooked edge 31 which engages with the outside edge of the flange 30. As the pull of the wire 15 tends to keep the hooked edge 31 engaged with the flange 30 no other fastening means between the columns 28 and truck 20 are required except the dowel pins 32 to keep the columns 28 in a fixed location relative to the length of the truck and to each other. The columns 28 are provided with a pair of sockets 33 and 33a in which are seated the wire carrying poles 34. Keeper plates 35 hold the poles 34 securely in the sockets 33 and 33a against the pull of the wire 15 and can be made adjustable, if required, to impart a certain amount of tension to the wire. The truck 20 at the take-off end of the Fourdrinier section is also provided with a column 36 similarly mounted in its truck as is the column 28. This column 36 is shaped to suit the location of the suction couch roll 6 and the return roll 6a and, if required to contour the draped wire 15 around these rolls, will be provided with more than two sockets 33 and 33a to carry the wire carrying poles 34 in the same manner as on the column 28.

In order to support the wire 15 at intermediate positions between the two columns 28 and 36 a desired number of traverse trucks 37 are provided. These trucks 37 are provided with wheels 38 to run on the rails 39. The rails 39 in the tending aisle are laid loosely on the floor to line up with permanent sections 40* under the Fourdrinier section of the machine. As the draped wire 15 does not have to clear as many obstructions on the top of the Fourdrinier section as it has to under the machine, only certain of the trucks 37 are fitted with outer end colums 41. These end columns 41 are preferably made demountable for easy storage when not in use. Each truck 37 is provided with a lower wire supporting pole 42, supported cantilever-wise at the outer end of the truck while a similar upper wire supporting pole 43 is supported from the top end of the column 41 on such trucks as have a column fitted. The inner end or unsupported end of the top poles 43 are provided with a bracket 44 on their under side in which is mounted a roller '45 adapted to engage with and run on the top surface of one of the table rolls 2 as the truck 37 is moved in on the Fourdrinier section. An extension pole 46 is telescoped into the end of the pole 43 and it also is provided with a bracket 47 carrying the wheel 48. Both wheels 45 and 48 have their rims radiused at 49 to suit the outside diameter of the table roll 2. The extension poles 46 bridge the gap between the end of the poles 43 and the table rolls 12 and ensure ease of transfer as the wire is moved in over the machine. The trucks 37 and their component parts are of relatively light weight construction as they only have to support their share of the wire and are subjected to little or no side pull from the wire and can therefore be quickly set up and removed every time that a wire has to be changed.

In order that the draped wire may be moved uniformly from the aisle onto the machine each of the trucks 20 and 37 are driven from a single power source diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 at 50 which may be any type of prime mover, and driving a shaft 51 from which separate drives 52 are taken to each truck. For simplicity a simple chain drive is shown passing over suitable pulleys 53, and held in tension by the tension device 54. The top run 55 of the chain is engaged by suitable clamp means mounted on the trucks 20 and 37 of which one form is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 where a hooked arm 56 is pivoted at 57 and is held in and out of engagement with the top run 55 of the chain by means of the pin 58. A double grip could be made on the chain drive by duplicating the arms 56 and used as a pair of ice tongs, or by using any other well known method of clamping which can be readily attached and detached. In order that all of the trucks 20 and 37 will move uniformly as a unit, the trucks are first lined up with each other and the wire 15 draped on them and then the trucks are clamped to the drive chain.

Where the Fourdrinier section of the paper machine has been designed or modified as a semi-cantilever unit with hydraulic jack supports 8 at the tending aisle side, suitable means to support the section must be provided when the jacks have been lowered to allow the lower nun of the wire 15 to pass under the machine. Such a support can take the form of telescopic beams 60. The telescopic beams 60 are in the form of a cylinder 61 reciprocating in the sleeve 62 which is a permanent part of the Fourdrinier section structure. The outer end of the telescopic beam 60 has a stub shaft 63 which is journalled in the removable bracket 64. A fixed piston 65 on the ends of the concentric pipes 66 and 67 is located in the cylinder 61. Compressed air from the pipe 68 is directed by the valve 69 into one or the other of the pipes 70 or 71. The pipe 70 connects with the interior of the pipe 67 and air in this pipe is fed to the back of the piston 64 through the apertures 72 to effect retnaction of the telescopic beam 60 within the sleeve 62. When the telescopic beam 60 is to be extended, compressed air is directed by the valve 69 into the pipe 71 which is connected directly to the front of the piston 65 where pressure is built up forcing the beam 60' to move outwardly until its stub shaft 63 is engaged in the bracket 64. A roller 73 is mounted on the front end of the sleeve 62 to take the load of the reciprocating been 66 and reduce he friction in the sleeve 62. A convenient location for the socket 10 into which the post 9 of the hydraulic jacks 8 fit is at the end of the sleeve 62 adjacent the roller 73. By this means maximum support is given under the telescoping beam until it is supported in the bracket 64. In order to reduce friction between the sleeve 62, and the cylinder 61 a pair of rollers 74 are journalled onthe pins 75'which in turn are mounted on the side plates 76 secured to the end wall 61a of the cylinder 61. The rollers 74 have a concaved midportion 77, whose radius is slightly larger than the outer radius of the pipe 67 while the end portions 78 have concave surfaces whose radius is equal to the radius of the inner surface of the cylinder 61.

In the operation of changing a wire by the use of the above described invention, the operation is carried out in two stages. The first operation of draping the wire in the aisle can be carried out while the machine is still running.

The first step is to assembly the reeling olf brackets on the wire bundle poles and insert all the necessary service poles in the wire loop, the ends of the service poles being supported in pole carriers suspended from the ends of the wire bundle poles.

The floor plates 74 are then lifted clear to expose the runways 25 and the traversing trucks 20. The columns 28 and 36 are then assembled on the trucks 20 at each end of the Fourdrinier section in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and secured in their location by the dowel pins 32. The intermediate traversing trucks 37 are now assembled on the removable rails 39, complete with end columns 41 where required. The wire 15 with its poles 34 is now assembled on the brackets 28 and 36, the poles 34 being locked in place in the sockets 33 and 33a by the keeper plates 35. The wire is then draped in the usual manner, supported by the intermediate poles 42 and 43. The floor brackets are not located on the floor in prepared footings so that the brackets require no further lining up with the telescopic beams 60. The wire 15 is now completely draped ready to be transferred to the Fourdrinier section and so far has not interfered with the normal running of the machine.

The second stage of replacing the wire can be commenced at any convenient time, and after the paper sheet has been broken down and the old wire removed, any superstructures such as secondary head box, dandy, etc. are removed. The breast roll 4 and forming board 5 are retracted into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 by means of the hydraulic jacks 13; the couch roll 6 and return roll are cantilevered. The telescopic beams 60 are now extended into supported position in the brackets 64 as shown in Fig. 7 and all inside rolls 14 are retracted. Any pit runway covers obstructing the free traversing of the trucks 20 and 37 are removed and the posts 9 of the jacks S are lowered. All of the trucks 20 and 37 are clamped to their drive chains 52 and the drive from the prime mover to the shaft 51 is started up. All trucks now move synchronously together carrying the wire 15 smoothly into place over and above the Fourdrinier section clear of any obstruction without handling or pulling in any way and Without damage such as kinking or cutting. The jacks 8 can now be raised to again support the Fourdrinier section and the telescopic beams can be withdrawn; the wire poles removed and the trucks Withdrawn back into the aisle. The breast roll 4 and forming board 5 are pushed forwardly and upwardly into operating position against the forward loop of the wire and tension is applied to the wire by lowering the rolls 14. After all service connections have been remade, the machine will be ready for operation after a minimum of shutdown time.

The fact that the wire can be draped on a device in the open aisle clear of all obstructions ensures against damage to the wire which is otherwise quite common when the-wire has to be draped directly on themaehin'e itself. 4 2

While one form of the device has been disclosed it is to be understood that many of the elements making. up the device are capable of considerable modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the trucks 20 and 37 could be of any other design and still perform their function of traversing the aisle and machine, then again all of the trucks could be of the same design although for practical purposes the trucks 37 do not require to have the built instrength required of the trucks 20. The corner posts orcolumns 28 and 36 could be modified to suit the general outline of the machine and its end roll assembly. The essential features is to have a wire carrying device capable of being set up in the aisle while the machine is still running and being capable of transferring the wire to the machine in one straight forward traverse motion Without change of the pre-draped form of the wire as set up in the aisle alongside of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine comprising, a pair of end trucks and in,- termediately located trucks, said trucks being constrained to travel transversely of the line of travel of the paper machine, each of said trucks having upper and lower wire carrying poles mounted thereon, the upper wire carrying poles of the intermediate trucks having rollers mounted on their end adjacent the paper machine, the said rollers adapted to rest on and support the end of the poles on the upper members of the Fourdrinier section, extensible beams mounted transversely on the underside of and supporting said Fourdrinier section, said beams when extended, supporting said Fourdrinier section at a point beyond the transverse travel of said trucks, and means to traverse said end and intermediate wire carrying trucks into the line of travel of said paper machine and about said Fourdrinier section.

2. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper wire carrying poles of the intermediately located trucks are equipped with an extension piece having a roller located at its outer end adapted to rest on and support the end of the poles on the upper members of the Fourdrinier section at the beginning of the traversing travel of the wire draping device.

3. A Wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine compiising a pair of end trucks constrained to travel transversely of the line of travel of the paper machine, said end trucks having upper and lower wire carrying poles, extensible beams supporting said Fourdrinier section of the paper machine, support brackets located at a point beyond the transverse travel of said trucks, said brackets adapted to support said beams when extended, and means to traverse said wire carrying trucks into the line of travel of said paper machine and about said Fourdrinier section when the said beams are extended.

4. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine, comprising a pair of end trucks constrained to travel transversely of the line of travel of the paper machine, said end trucks having upper and lower wire carrying poles, fluid pressure extensible beams mounted transversely on the under side of and supporting said Fourdrinier section, said beams when extended, supporting said Fourdrinier section at a point beyond the transverse travel of said trucks, and means to traverse said Wire carrying end trucks into the line of travel of said paper machine and about said Fourdrinier section when said beams are extended.

5. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire onv the Fourdrinier section of a paper making machine, comprising a pair of end trucks and in termediately located trucks, saidttrucks being constrained to travel transversely of the line of travel of the paper ma chine, each of said trucks having wire carrying. poles molinted thereon, fluid pressure extensible beams mounted transversely on the underside of and supporting said" Fourdrinier section, said beams when extended, supporting said Fourdrinier section at a point beyond the transverse travel of the said trucks, and means to traverse said end and intermediate wire carrying trucks into the line of travel of said paper machine and about said Fourdrinier section.

6. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdri-ni'er wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper machine as set forth in claim 5, in which the extensible beams are supported by rollers set on the side of the Fourdrinier section adjacent the wire draping device.

7. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper 20 machine as set forth in claim 6, in which the side of the Fourdrin'ier section adjacent the wire draping device is provided with retractable supports, which are retracted when the extensible beams are extended.

8. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fourdrinier section of a paper machine as set forth in claim 5, in which the extensible beams are in the form of a fluid pressure cylinder reciprocatingly mounted within a cylindrical sleeve and sup ported therein by external and internal rollers in any extended position.

9. A wire draping device for draping an endless looped Fourdrinier wire on the Fonrdrinier section of a paper machine as set forth in claim 5, in which the means to traverse said wire carrying trucks comprise synchronously driven drives to each truck driven from a common driveshaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,937,125 Pederson Nov. 28, 1933 2,299,746 Hart Oct. 27, 1942 2,681,721 Baxter June 22, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 364,660 Germany Dec. 2, 1922. 

